The mountain and the sea
by DistrictHeathdene
Summary: A sequel to 'You are mine to keep warm'. Kili and Tauriel's married life begins. Rated M just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Took me longer than I thought it would to start writing again. But Kiliel is back! **

"Welcome back Lady Tauriel! How was the trip?" A dwarf woman asks me cheerfully with a jovial wave as I pass by.

"It was lovely thank you, though you must excuse me, I'm looking forward to greeting my bed!" After almost a month of travelling across Middle Earth the great mountain of Erebor seems small and constrained; but homely none the less. The thick stone walls are comforting as well as constraining; it feels safe within these walls, with these people; my people. It is the first time they've seen me since my wedding day but they all greet me happily and with excitement, making me feel more welcome than I ever expected from a city of dwarves.

When I reach mine and Kili's home a fire is already burning in the hearth but my dwarf is nowhere to be seen; still off greeting his family and subjects I expect. It was a struggle to get Thorin to agree to our travelling, he grumbled more than usual when we announced our plans for a long honeymoon. His argument was that Kili was too needed here, what about all his duties which would go unfinished? Luckily for us Fili, Kili's adoring brother, stepped up to plate offering to take over Kili's roles for the time being as well as putting up with his own.

"It's their honeymoon Uncle! Let the youngsters have their fun!" And we had. We had trekked and rode, feasted and danced, revelled in the wonders of our earth and the company of one another. We finished off our travels with a short stay at Mirkwood where I could properly introduce Kili to my friends; as my husband rather than a prisoner. Husband. The word sounds peculiar on my lips still; there is so much more to what Kili is to me; a lover, a friend, a soul mate. Husband doesn't seem to encompass our relationship; but it seems a secure and comforting word, most of all it means he is mine, and no one can take him away from me; so I don't mind.

I kick off my worn boots and shrug off my cloak to sit in front of the fire. I stretch out on the rug and let the heat from the flames warm my hands and ease my limbs. The colours seem to burst out at me; reds, oranges and gold depicting patterns as the flames lick at the wood and dance in the air. Their colours blend together as my eyelids begin to droop and I let myself slip into dreams.

"Hello, sleepy," A low voice rouses me as a cool hand brushes my hair from my forehead. I squint through my eyelashes up into the face of the most handsome dwarf in the world. Though maybe I'm a little bias. Chocolate brown eyes and a smile greet me and I throw my arms around Kili's neck. He smells comforting and musky so I nuzzle my face into his neck.

"You okay?" He murmurs against my ear, his lips tickling my skin.

"Yes, good day?" I lean back to look at his face and run my finger across his dark beard and then along his lips which are full and slightly chapped.

"Busy," he replies, "You'd think Uncle would let me have one day of rest when I return but no. He's got me running about doing errands and what not straight away. I'm not cut out for this stuff, I'm better at fighting, perhaps I should copy you and volunteer as a captain of the guard," he teases me, the corners of his mouth curling up deliciously.

"Tomorrow you can talk with your Uncle, you must be tired now," I whisper, tucking his messy hair behind his ear.

"I am tired, so were you clearly," He jests, nodding to where I had been laying. I must have slept for a while because the fire is almost burnt out. I laugh and lean in to kiss him gently.

"I'm just glad to be home," I tell him. And I am.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Sorry that this fic has been a little neglected. I've been working on my new game of thrones fic instead, but here you go, a new chapter. I'm not entirely happy with it but I hope you enjoy it - J x**

I stretch my limbs out and groan in satisfaction before curling back up next to my dwarf. I wrap my arms around his broad chest and kiss his rough cheek.

"Morning you," He murmurs, catching my hand and pressing my fingers to his lips so he can plant a kiss on them. I giggle sleepily and feel him smile against my skin.

"Good morning, Master Dwarf," I lean up on my elbow to stare at him and he rolls his eyes.

"Oh be quiet, elf," He bats my hand away and sits up.

"Does King Thorin call?" I tease trying to pull him back down and placing kisses along his jaw until I reach his lips.

"Not funny," he complains but he kisses me back anyway, his hand moving to the back of my neck to hold me there. My hands slip over his skin, across his chest and up his thigh trying to awaken his desire. I feel him stir beneath my fingertips but he leans away from me. "I need to talk to him, Tauriel, he's not going to be lenient if I'm late again," He snorts at my pout and kisses the tip of my nose. "Don't be so glum, wife," He laughs and I collapse onto my back on the bed.

"Fineee," I sigh, taking his hand and kissing each of his fingers in turn. "Hurry back to me,"

"Always," He smiles before getting up, donning his clothes and trying to tame his wild tangle of hair.

"Have a good day!" I call after him when he leaves and curl back up underneath our blanket; I've been awfully tired lately. It worries me, elves do not usually tire easily, and when they do it can be a sign of illness or injury. But I'm not sick, am I? I sigh sleepily into a pillow and hug it to my body trying to delve back into dreams when a wave of nausea hits me.

I rush to the bathroom and end up kneeling on the floor ungracefully and bringing up the contents of my stomach. Maybe I am sick; I wipe my forehead and find a cool sheen of sweat there. If Kili were here he would demand I see a healer, but he's not here, and I hate visiting the healers. I decide that all I really need is some air. I've been stuck underground for the past few days without a hint of fresh air or natural light.

I wash my face with cool water and dress in my old elvish hunting gear before shouldering my bow and arrows and heading out into the daylight. It feels good to be outside again, to feel the breeze whistling through my long hair and the feel of grass beneath my supple boots. I start to run with the exhilaration; my sickness all but forgotten in my joy. I run across the plains and into a small patch of woods; not as dense or large as Mirkwood, but still, having trees surround me feels pleasant and homely.

I've shot a few rabbits to take back to the kingdom's kitchens when I hear it; a strange, unfamiliar noise, and yet it is all too horribly recognisable. Coarse voices, grunts, heavy footfalls and the sound of metal on metal. I dart up a tree as the noise draws closer. I take my vantage point from high up the branches where I will be unseen but where I can spy through foliage and see below.

Through the gap in the leaves I see mottled grey flesh, rusty armour and ugly squashed in faces of orcs. What are they doing so close to the mountain? I count about fifteen of the creatures as they near my hiding place. An odd number, not enough for an army so they must not be planning an attack on Erebor or Dale. A scout party possibly, but scouting for what? My pointed ears prick up to try and catch their voices but they speak in the harsh tones of black speech which I cannot understand. I can only make out a few words, the name of a place; Dol Guldur – the ruined fortress. I dread to think what they might be doing there. I hold my breath as they pass and keep an arrow trained on them. I could let it fly; I never miss. But I don't know how many I would be able to kill before they realised and attacked me.

I stay in the tree a long time, breathing deeply and trying to think through their intentions but nothing comes to me, nothing but worry and a fresh wave of sickness.

"I need to speak to the King!" I call when I re-enter the mountain; some of the dwarves look at me with anxiousness, some with pity. I realise I must look a little mad, coming into the kingdom screaming demands to see the King, and I'm sure the sickness hasn't done much for my looks. "Please, where is he?"

"Probably in his throne room, lass," An old dwarf nods at me and I thank him before continuing. I still feel a little unsteady from my illness when I reach the throne room and push open the heavy doors, flanked by guards.

"Tauriel?" Kili stands with his uncle and spins round when the door opens. His face falls when he sees the expression on my face. "Tauriel, what's wrong, my love?" Kili hurries over to me, taking my hands in his and looking up at me with fear in his chocolate brown eyes.

"There were orcs," I address the King, "Orcs in the woods. I went out to hunt and I saw a small pack of them, fifteen I counted. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but they mentioned the old fortress of Dol Guldur. Does this mean anything to you?" Kili tightens his grip on my hand and Thorin's expression turns dark at my words.

"You did not follow them to find out more?" He demands and I shake my head in guilt.

"No, my lord, I was taken sick,"

"You were sick? Why didn't you say so?" Kili pines, reaching up to take my face in his hands. I stroke the back of his hand gently.

"Shh Kili, I am fine,"

"Kili," Thorin begins, "Escort your wife to our healers if she is ill, Fili, send word for the watch to be doubled. Send out a search party if you must, I want to know what the orcs are doing, it is not usual for them to come so close to our lands. Thank you, Tauriel, for your information," He addresses me by name for once, nodding politely before he has Kili take me away. In all the time Kili and I have been together, his uncle has not warmed to me much. He is courteous and friendly enough, but we have not grown close in the way that I have with Kili's friends.

"Tauriel, you should have come to find me if you were sick, you always come before my duties, you know that," Kili tells me softly as he leads me to the dwarvish healers.

"If I had, then I wouldn't have seen the orcs," I argue and he stays quiet until we reach the dwarves' infirmary. I am greeted by a friendly face, Oin, who gained a proper title as a healer when they reclaimed Erebor.

"Tauriel," He says sweetly, "What seems to be the problem?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine, thank you," I persist but Kili buts in.

"She's been sick, twice; she's tired and dizzy,"

"Kili," I hiss but he's right, as usual. Oin takes my long-fingered hand in his large, rough one and 'hmms' to himself.

"Have you had a raised temperature? Fever?"

"I – maybe, I felt hot and sickly this morning, just after Kili left for work,"

"Okay," Oin continued, rearranging his ear trumpet as he examined me. "Do you think you could've eaten anything bad? Or had an infected wound?"

"No," I reply; the food I am served by the dwarves is the finest quality, besides Kili eats the same as me and he hasn't been showing any signs of ill health. As for wounds, I haven't received more than a scratch or bruise in weeks.

"When did you last bleed?" Oin says to me softly, his face calm and expressionless.

"Bleed? You mean -" The old dwarf nods and I count backwards in my head, trying to remember the last time and being unable to do so. Oin seems to register this in my face as he reaches out to take my hand in his and smiles kindly.

"My dear, I think you may be with child,"


End file.
